Decarbonisation & Energy Efficiency
Sustainable Solutions for the Metals Industry
Decarbonisation and energy efficiency are among the key issues for the future of the metal industry. Companies are further developing their production processes, using energy more efficiently and seeking solutions for the responsible use of resources. In doing so, modern plant technology, digitalisation, automation and the circular economy are becoming increasingly intertwined.
The Bright World of Metals creates an international platform for these developments. The four world-leading trade fairs – GIFA, METEC, THERMPROCESS and NEWCAST – bring together companies, users, research institutions and experts from various sectors of the metallurgical value chain.
Why are decarbonisation and energy efficiency relevant?
The demands placed on industrial production processes are changing. Companies must use energy efficiently, utilise resources responsibly and ensure their processes remain competitive in the long term. Decarbonisation and energy efficiency therefore affect not only individual plants, but also numerous decisions throughout the entire value chain.
This includes the planning of new production systems, the modernisation of existing plants, the control of industrial processes, and the management of raw materials, waste materials and recyclable materials. Digital technologies also play an important role, as they make processes more transparent and support more targeted control.
The Bright World of Metals brings these topics together across four specialised trade fairs. This allows developments in foundry technology, metallurgy, thermal process engineering and the manufacture of castings to be examined collectively.
What do decarbonisation and energy efficiency mean?
Decarbonisation describes the further development of industrial processes with the aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Technical, energy-related and organisational measures can contribute to this.
Energy efficiency means using energy as effectively as possible within a production process. The focus is on plant, processes and control systems that make energy use easier to monitor, plan and optimise.
Both topics are closely linked to other areas of action:
- Resource efficiency
- Digitalisation
- Automation
- Energy management
- Circular economy
- Recycling
- Process optimisation
- Sustainable production processes
Decarbonisation and energy efficiency cannot therefore be regarded as separate, individual topics. Together with digitalisation and resource efficiency, they form an essential framework for the further development of the metals industry.
Which technologies and solutions are the focus?
Requirements vary depending on the production area, material and process. Nevertheless, several overarching areas of solutions can be identified.
Energy-efficient plant technology
Modern production facilities lay the foundation for efficient energy use. Both new plant technologies and the optimisation of existing systems play an important role in this.
Digital process control
Digital systems collect and process production data. They help companies make processes more transparent, monitor process statuses and identify opportunities for optimisation.
Energy management
Energy management provides transparency regarding energy flows and consumption. This enables companies to compare different production areas and plan measures in a more targeted manner.
Waste heat utilisation
Thermal and industrial processes generate waste heat, which can be reused in a targeted manner through heat recovery and fed back into suitable processes.
Decarbonisation
The metallurgical value chain comprises numerous process steps and offers a wide range of opportunities for greater decarbonisation and energy efficiency.
Automation
Automated processes enable more precise and reproducible control of industrial operations. They can help to better tailor material and energy usage to the respective production process.
The Bright World of Metals as a platform for solutions
The Bright World of Metals brings together four specialist trade fairs with different focal points and brings decarbonisation and energy efficiency to life along the entire metallurgical value chain.
- GIFA focuses on energy-efficient foundry technologies – from melting and casting processes through mould and core production to recycling and digitalisation.
- METEC highlights decarbonisation in metallurgy and steel production – from primary metallurgy and rolling mills to sustainable production processes.
- THERMPROCESS showcases solutions for energy-efficient thermal processes – including industrial furnaces, heat treatment, process heat and heat recovery.
- NEWCAST presents innovative castings and demonstrates how sustainable component designs, lightweight construction and modern casting solutions contribute to resource efficiency.
Key themes at NEWCAST
As part of The Bright World of Metals, NEWCAST focuses on innovative castings and their industrial applications. Decarbonisation and energy efficiency begin with the development of resource-efficient components and material-optimised product concepts.
NEWCAST showcases innovative castings and examples of their application across various industrial sectors. The focus is on solutions that combine material efficiency, lightweight construction and sustainable product development.
NEWCAST’s product categories reflect the requirements for modern castings and resource-efficient component solutions.
FAQs on decarbonisation & energy efficiency
Decarbonisation describes the further development of industrial production processes with the aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This includes technical, energy-related and organisational measures.
Many processes in the metal industry require energy. Using energy efficiently helps companies to manage production processes more effectively and to use resources responsibly to be implemented.
Relevant solution areas include energy-efficient plant, digital process control, automation, energy management, heat recovery, waste heat utilisation, recycling and the circular economy.
Decarbonisation and energy efficiency are integral to all four of the world’s leading trade fairs. Depending on the trade fair’s focus, different technologies and applications take centre stage – ranging from energy-efficient foundry and metallurgical processes, through thermal processing technology, to material-efficient castings.
